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After a car crash, car repair and body shops often install “aftermarket” or “knock-off” replacement parts that are cheaper than the original parts, saving consumers lots of money. The Insurance Information Institute reports that aftermarket parts have saved consumers more than $2.2 billion in repair costs since 2010. The bad news: The bulk of these parts are not certified for quality and safety.

Knock-off parts purchased on the so-called “grey market” aren’t really an issue when it comes to fenders, grills and other cosmetic features that don’t affect safety. But structural parts like hoods and bumpers are another matter, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. If those parts aren’t up to standard, the cheap car repair could come at a very high price.

“I refuse to use aftermarket parts,” says Florida car dealer Earl Stewart, a consumer advocate based in North Palm Beach who has worked in body shops for the last 47 years. A poorly made part, he says, “can make the difference between airbag deployment and someone’s head going through the windshield.”

Unless you've been hanging around repair shops lately, you may not have heard of aftermarket parts and OEMS. Here's a quick review: Some replacement parts come from Original Equipment Manufacturers, or OEMS, which use carmarker specifications to create a blueprint so their copy will be identical to the "genuine" parts from the carmaker. Aftermarket auto parts are copies of an original part. Some are certified for quality by a non-profit organization, and others aren’t.

The safety of aftermarket parts became a hot issue in 2010, when Consumer Reports reported computer-simulated crash tests from Ford showing that knock-off bumpers and radiator parts could cause the airbag system to malfunction.

Here’s how it’s supposed to work: An impact on the bumper sends vibrations through the vehicle body to the airbag sensors, which then trigger the airbag to deploy if necessary. In one Ford Mustang test, the magazine noted, the original Ford bumper was one piece made from “ultra-high-strength steel.” The aftermarket copy, in contrast, was created from two pieces of weak steel that were spot-welded together. The weaker bumper sent a different signal to the sensors, a potentially dangerous scenario.

CAPA’s goal is to provide high-quality alternatives to both shoddy knockoffs and expensive car company brand parts. “What’s different about us is that we don’t have any vested interest in the sale of these parts,” says CAPA executive director Jack Gillis. “The heart of our program is the public interest.”

Proven parts

CAPA puts the parts through a rigorous testing process, including crash-testing for car bumpers. A video on CAPA’s website shows an uncertified bumper exploding in a crash while a CAPA-tested bumper survives unscathed:

Gillis says the exploding bumper underscores the need for certification. “Some of these replacement parts look really great, and even an industry professional can’t tell the difference by looking at them,” he says. “Only testing will reveal whether they’re as safe and durable as the original and perform the way they’re supposed to.”

CAPA, which also tests cosmetic auto parts, has certified about 20 percent – or 85 million certified parts -- of all the replacement parts on the market.

To receive the certification, a manufacturer first has to pass a detailed inspection of its factory and manufacturing process. If that happens, the manufacturer can submit replacement parts to CAPA for a battery of different tests, all of which are available to the public. The nonprofit's tests have found everything from corrosion problems and substandard metal to missing hood reinforcement plates.

“In the testing of car hoods, for example, we make sure they’ll buckle correctly so the hood isn’t pushed into the passenger area in a crash,” Gillis says. Only after the part is tested and certified can the manufacturer apply the CAPA quality seal to it.

Gillis, who is also director of public affairs for the Consumer Federation of America, says he supports a competitive market for replacement parts. But he objects to insurance carriers who fail to require certified replacement parts. “Only about one in five aftermarket parts is CAPA-certified,” he says. “Some auto insurance carriers require the replacements parts be certified by CAPA, but others don’t,” he says. “And the consumer doesn’t realize it. That’s a problem.”

The right repair

Here’s what you should do to protect yourself:

Ask your car insurance company whether it requires CAPA-certified replacement parts for repairs. Insist on certified replacement parts installed at your own car repair shop. You’re under no obligation to accept non-certified parts or the insurer’s repair shop, according to Consumer Reports.

Be aware you have the right to ask for genuine or OEM parts in a repair job, although you should be prepared to pay extra.

Check for the CAPA seal. Unless your repair shop is using original or genuine parts, there should be a CAPA seal (below) and sticker for each structural replacement part. Each yellow and black seal has a unique identifier, making it virtually impossible to counterfeit.

CAPA-certified means the item is a genuine replacement part.

CAPA

Report any problems with CAPA aftermarket parts to the non-profit agency. You can call toll-free 1-800-505-CAPA (2272) and file a complaint with a CAPA representative, or you can download its printable Complaint Form. If you return the complaint part to the distributor, print and attach the CAPA Complain Part Return Form with it.

“For want of a nail”

There’s a proverb relevant to the replacements parts debate, even though it was written centuries ago. It suggests the tragic and unforeseen consequences of a seemingly trivial event – in this case, a missing nail for a horseshoe.

For want of a nail the shoe was lost.

For want of a shoe the horse was lost.

For want of a horse the rider was lost.

For want of a rider the message was lost.

For want of a message the battle was lost.

For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.

And all for the want of a nail.

Fast forward to the present. If we swap in bumper for “nail,” car for “shoe,” and driver for “rider,” we have a parable for our own time. When it comes to safety on the road, even minor parts matter.

Diana Hembree is a former senior content director for MoneyGeek.com, a Reno-based personal finance website. She also worked more than 10 years as a reporter and news

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Diana Hembree is a former senior content director for MoneyGeek.com, a Reno-based personal finance website. She also worked more than 10 years as a reporter and news editor at the Center for Investigative Reporting and has served as a senior editor at Time Inc., as a contract daily editor for HealthDay and as editor of the alternative energy journal Bioenergy Connection. She has written and edited stories for 60 Minutes, the Washington Post, the Times of London syndicate, Columbia Journalism Review, Vibe and many other publications. She also served as associate producer for The Great American Bailout, a PBS Frontline documentary that won a Polk and IRE award for its expose of the aftermath of the savings and loans debacle.